Handcuff



M. THOMAS.

(No Model.)

HANDGUPF.

No. 875,843. Patented Jan. 3; 1888.

u- ""IIIIIIIIIIMI- UNITED STATES MERTON THOMAS, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

SAVONA NEW YORK.

HANDCUFF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,843, dated January 3, 1888.

Serial No. 242,131. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, MER'roN THOMAS, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Savona, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handcuffs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in handcuffs, and has for its object to provide a handculi' which can be quickly and easily locked when in use, and which will be simple in construction and of compact form and arrangement.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the device shown in the accompanying drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings referred to, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device as it appears when locked. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same showing it opened. Fig. 3 is a detail transverse section of the stop for operating the jaws, and Fig. 4. is a detail view showing the disks formed at the ends of the jaws.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a designates ahollow tubular handle having a crossbar or T-head at one end, which is grasped by the person using the device. The opposite end of the handle is somewhat enlarged and flattened, as shown at n, so as to provide room for the proper operation of the ends of the jaws. On the opposing inner faces of this flattened end of the tubular handle-I provide the longitudinal grooves g, in which the depending arms of the stop f are fitted and work. These depending arms are each provided with a longitudinal slot, h, by means of which the stop is allowed longitudinal play on a transverse pivot-screw, m, inserted through the flattened end portions of the handle and the disks 0, formed on the inner ends of thejawsd. These jaws d are semi-elliptical in form,s0 that when brought together around the wrist of a prisoner they will fit the same snugly. One of the jaws is provided at its outer end with a series of notches, as shown, and the other jaw is pro vided at its outer end with a hollow enlarge ment, in which is a spring-latch, Z, which is adapted to engage the notches in the opposite jaw when the two jaws are brought together, and thus lock the same together. The jaws are unlocked by means of a key, as will be readily understood. The disks 0, formed on the inner ends of the jaws, are provided in their peripheral edges with the notches j, and the ends'of the jaws are provided with the shoulders p and the grooves 70. b designates a leafspring arranged in the tubular handle, which spring is doubled and has its opposite ends secured upon the shouldersp of the opposing innerends of thejaws and tends to force the outer ends of the jaws together and thus lock the same. Thegrooves7c,whenthejawsarebrought together, fit around a spring, 0, which has its lower end resting on the transverse pivot-screw m and its upper end bearing against the under side of the stop f, being'held in a straight line by a pin or screw, 1', passed through the stop and longitudinally in the spring. This spring e tends to force the stop f outward, and thereby draw the pin 0, secured transversely in the lower ends of the arms of the stop f, against the disks 0, formed on the ends of the jaws. V

The operation of my device will be readily understood. The jaws are drawn apart to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the spring 0 will force the stop f outward and draw the pin 0 into engagement with the notchesj in the disks 0. Thejaws will thus be held unlocked and open,and the device can be readily slipped around-the wrist of an offender. A slight pressure against the wrist will drive the stop inward and release the pin 0 from the notches j, when the spring b will drive the jaws forcibly together, their outer ends automatically looking, as will be readily understood.

It will be observed that my device is very simple and efficient, and that the several parts are all inclosed and protected from injury.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. A handcuff comprising a tubular handle, the jaws pivoted in the outer end of said handle, aspring arranged in the handle and bearing on thejaws to normally force their outer ends together, and mechanism to hold the jaws apart, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the tubular handle, the jaws pivoted in the outer end of the same, the spring arranged in the handle and bearing on the opposinginner ends of the jaws,and the stop acting on the inner ends of the jaws to hold their outer ends apart, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the tubular handle, the jaws at the outer end of the same, having the disks a mounted on the pivot-screw m and provided with notchesj, the spring I), arranged in the handle and having its ends bearing on the opposing inner ends of the jaws, and the spring-actuated stop carrying a transverse pin, 0, adapted to engage the notchesj in the disks 0, substantially as specified.

4. A handcuff comprising the handle, the spring-actuated jaws pivoted to one end of the handle, the latch orlock at the free ends of the jaws, and the locking devices to'hold thejaws open against the tension of the spring, said locking devices extending outward and having a contact-point located between the jaws, which contact-point is designed to come in contact with the Wrist of a prisoner, to release the jaws and allow them to close under the reaction of the spring, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereto set inyhand this 22d day of June, 1887.

MERTON THOMAS.

Witnesses:

l). P; CowL, GEo. W. REA. 

